Summer Jazz 2004

JOHN ABERCROMBIE
July 21-24
Birdland, 315 West 44th Street, 212.581.3080

Surrounded by bass and violin on his glistening new ECM disc, the guitarist is investing in strings. He's long split the difference between aggression and discretion, and the back 'n' forth has given his music an odd sort of élan, which for this gig will be enhanced by drummer Joey Baron. MACNIE

RAY ANDERSON & WYCLIFFE GORDON
June 25-26
Sweet Rhythm, 88 Seventh Avenue South, 212.255.3626

Two of the hippest trombonists in the music's history unite for a brass blast that might wake the neighbors. Polyphony is sacred to both of these virtuosos, so prep for an evening of hard swing, earthy backbeats, and plenty of back 'n' forth. MACNIE

SAM BARDFELD
June 30
Makor, 35 West 67th Street, 212.601.1000

A violin/trumpet/vibes front line is going to earn points for character regardless of the music's slant, but I trust Bardfeld (he of the bow and the book) to come up with an array of tunes that will make you grin while admiring their design. MACNIE

BENEVENTO-RUSSO DUO
June 20
JVC Jazz Festival, Jazz Standard, 116 East 27th Street, 212.576.2232

Former members of a New Jersey middle school jazz band, keyboardist Marco Benevento and drummer Joe Russo reconnected in NYC a few years ago and have been making beautiful—and gentle, tornadic, and downright freaky—music together ever since. Less is more—unless guests show up, in which case all bets are off. GEHR

PETER BERNSTEIN & THREE
June 10-13
Jazz Standard, 116 East 27th Street, 212.576.2232

Fluency is the guitarist's middle name. Last year's Heart's Content was a cagey bit of craft that illustrated how he dispenses his derring-do. With a crew (Mehldau, Grenadier, Stewart) that revere the tune as much as they do the elaborations, he created some of the most vivid mainstream around. They're all on this gig. MACNIE

URI CAINE
June 22-27
JVC Jazz Festival, Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, 212.255.4037

A JVC Jazz Festival centerpiece, the great, broad-minded pianist's six-night workout is bracketed by trio evenings: "Bach to Boogie-Woogie" and an untitled closer likely to feature his recent electric-Rhodes infatuation. In between are two of Caine's magnificent and eclectic classical deconstructions, "The Mahler Project" (June 23) and "The Goldberg Variations" (June 26); the electronics-and-DJ-driven "Bedrock" quintet (June 24); and "Blue Wail" (June 25), a quartet featuring saxophonist Greg Osby. GEHR

'CARAMOOR FESTIVAL'
July 31
149 Girdle Ridge Road, Katonah, New York, 914.232.1252

Joe Lovano curates this season's all-day party in the woods, and he's brought the crème de la crème on board. Pianist Pete Malinverni will charge through hard bop. Saxophonist Kenny Garrett will conjure Coltrane's fervor. Drummer Lewis Nash will blend finesse and fire. Singer Kurt Elling will scat his way to the moon. And birthday boy Hank Jones will join Lovano's quartet to prove just how sage an 86-year-old can be. MACNIE

BILL CHARLAP+ROGER KELLAWAY
July 7-10
Birdland, 315 West 44th Street, 212.581.3080

The much acclaimed Charlap's been playing in a variety of configurations lately. This piano duet may be the oddest: There are a lot of bumps in the road when you're negotiating 176 keys. Judiciousness and strategy are part of both participants' palette, of course—they'll be operating on more than crossed fingers. MACNIE

ORNETTE COLEMAN+ABBEY LINCOLN
June 20
JVC Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall, 881 Seventh Avenue, 212.903.9600

Harken to the elders. So many others are vamping on Coleman's quartz-edged melodies these days, and he plays so rarely, you may have forgotten that the real deal—appearing here with a quartet—is still around. Making her headlining debut at this venue, the dramatic Ms. Lincoln possesses an almost operatic presence that should fit the room just fine. GEHR

'DMG ANNIVERSARY SHOW'
June 18
Tonic, 107 Norfolk Street, 212.358.7501

The Downtown Music Gallery, owner Bruce Gallanter is celebrating the store's 13th anniversary and his own 50th birthday. With area favorites like Elliott Sharp (premiering his new power trio, Raw Meet), the John Zorn (with Masada), plus other guests, this should be a worthy toast to the scene. GROSS

DON BYRON'S SIX MUSICIANS
August 12-15
Iridium, 1650 Broadway, 212.582.2121

Caught him doing some Ellington voom voom a few months ago, and was reminded of just how vivid the characters of his ensembles really are. The clarinetist's sextet embraces the Latin cadences he absorbed growing up. But nothing is ever orthodox in Byron's world, as stuff like "Theme From Hatari" reminds. MACNIE

'A DOUBLE RELEASE PARTY IN CELEBRATION OF WOMEN COMPOSERS': JENNY SCHEINMAN+MYRA MELFORD
July 24
Joe's Pub, 425 Lafayette Street, 212.539.8770

This double bill should remind jazz buffs that Carla Bley isn't where this field begins and ends. Scheinman is a gifted, expressive violinist with a wide range of moods and styles. Pianist Melford has recently crafted a very canny, sensitive small ensemble record, nicely reminiscent at times of Bley herself. GROSS

ELI DEGIBRI QUARTET
July 29
55 Bar, 55 Christopher Street, 212.929.9883

The young Israeli tenor player has been getting props for a stint with Herbie Hancock and a handful of head-turning local gigs. Central to his new In the Beginning is a voluptuous tone that accents an array of fiercely judicious solos. When DeGibri takes off he pulls you with him. MACNIE

FRANK KIMBROUGH TRIO
June 30
Sweet Rhythm, 88 Seventh Avenue South, 212.255.3626

The pianist is an expert at the crab walk; his music gains ground by moving forward and sideways at the same time. That's beguiling, if not intriguing, and it places Kimbrough in good company—Andrew Hill and Misha Mengelberg busted similar moves. With a centerpiece entitled "Whirl," his new Lullabluebye is cunning and kaleidoscopic. MACNIE